Automobile lock structure



F. A. SMITH AUTOMOBILE LOCK STRUCTURE May 4, 1937;

Original Filed May 26,1934

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Reissued May 4, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE LOCKSTRUCTURE Frederick A. Smith, North Chicago, Ill., assignor to OakesProducts Corporation, North Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Michigan 8Claims.

My invention relates to automobile lock structur; and particularly to asteering and ignition loc An important object of the invention is toprovide an improved lock structure in which a rotary lock member hassuch connection with a steering locking bolt and an electrical circuitswitch that during one part of the rotary movement of the lock memberthe steering locking bolt is shifted to locking or unlocking position,and during another part of the rotary movement of the lock member theswitch is operable to control a circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide 1v an arrangement inwhich a key operable lock cylinder, a movable switch element, and asteering locking bolt structure are interconnected in such manner thatthe steering bolt structure will be shiftable only during the fore partof the rotary 2o movement of the lock cylinder, and the movable switchelement will be effective to close the circuit only during the latterpart of the rotary movement of the lock cylinder. 3

Another object is to provide an arrangement in 25 which a lock cylinder,a movable switch element,

and an interconnecting member are rotatable together on an axisextending transversely of the axis of the locking bolt and with a camconnection between the interconnecting member and the 30 bolt eifectiveonly during part of the rotary movement of the lock cylinder forshifting the locking v bolt to locking or unlocking position.

Still another object is to provide such arrangement of the camconnection between the interconnecting member and the locking bolt thatafter partial rotation. of the lock cylinder and movement of the lockingbolt to unlocking position, the bolt will be held in such lockingposition by the cam connection while the switch is operated duringanother part of the rotational movement of the lock cylinder.

A further object is to provide for a slight axial outward bodily shiftof the lock cylinder after rotation thereof for unlocking the bolt, andan interlock between the cylinder and its stationary enclosing housingso arranged that, after turning of the lock cylinder when in its outposition to close the switch, the cylinder must first be 50 turned backto open the switch and then shifted inwardly before it can be turned formovement of the lock bolt back into steering locking posi tion.

Another object is to produce a lock structure 55 of the class describedin which the parts are of simple construction and can be economicallymanufactured and assembled.

The above referred to and other features of the invention areincorporated in the structure disclosed on the drawing, in whichdrawing:

Figure 1 is a front view of the lock structure mounted on a steeringcolumn;

Figure 2 is a section on plane IIII Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on plane III-III of Figure 2 showing the steeringlocking bolt in locking position;

Figure 4 is a section similar to Figure 3 showing the steering lockingbolt in unlocking position;

Figure 5 is a rear view showing the arrangement of the movable switchelement;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the cover for the switch chamber; and

Figures '7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views illustrating the differentpositions of the lock cylinder during the manipulation of the lockstructure.

The lock structure shown comprises a body I0 having a cylindricalopening l l therethrough for receiving the steering column I2 on anautomobile, the body at one side being split as indicated at l3 so that,by means of a screw I4 it may be securely clamped to the column. Bymeans of lugs IS the lock body may also be secured to the dash orinstrument board of the automobile adjacent to which the steering columnextends.

The lock body has the horizontally extending cylindrical pocket orbarrel l6 opening into the passageway l I which receives the steeringcolumn l2 and in this pocket a cylindrical plunger I1 is shiftable, thisplunger forming part of the steering lock bolt structure. The plungerhas the axial bore I8 extending therethrough for the lock bolt I9 whichat its inner end has a head between which and the closed end of thepocket a compressed spring 2| is inserted, the spring tending to holdthe plunger and bolt in outer, locking position.

The steering column has the opening 22 therethrough for the lock boltl9, and on the steering shaft 23 extending through the column is secureda bushing or sleeve 24 having the locking opening or notch 25 into whichthe lock bolt I5 may be projected when the steering wheel is in acertain position, usually the position at which the vehicle front Wheelsare straight. If the lock bolt structure is projected outwardly when thenotch 25 is not in alignment with the bolt IS, the bolt will be held bythe spring 2| against the outer surface of the sleeve 24 until thesteering wheel is turned for reception of the lock bolt in the notch,wheresteering manipulation.

The body Ill is bored through on a line below and at right angles withthe pocket Hi to provide a front cylindrical chamber 26 and a rearcylindrical chamber 21 with an intervening bearing wall 28'. The frontchamber 26 receives a key operable lock structure comprising the casing28 and a tumbler cylinder 29 rotatable therein by means of a suitablekey inserted into the keyhole 30, the locking housing being secured inthe chamber 26 as by means of a pin 3|.

Within the chamber 21 is the movable switch element 32 in the form of acylindrical body of insulating material with a hub 33 journalled withinthe recess 34 between the bearing wall 28 and the chamber 21.

Between the cylinder lock structure and the movable switch element isinterposed a connecting element comprising a shaft 35 with a cam disc 38secured thereon intermediate its ends. The rear part of the shaft isjournalled in the bearing wall 28' and is flattened at its end to form acoupling tongue 31 for engaging in the coupling opening 39 in the hub 33of the switch element so that the switch element will turn with theshaft 35.

The front end of the shaft 35 extends into the recess 40 in the rear endof the lock cylinder 29 and the shaft end has the coupling slot 4| forreceiving the coupling pin 42 extending diametrally through the lockcylinder so that the shaft will turn when the lock cylinder is turned.The shaft is held against axial movement by the engagement of the camdisc 36 between the bearing wall 28' and the inner end of the lockcylinder housing 28.

The cam disc 35 is cylindrical and is cut away at one edge to leave thecam notch 43 and the abutment 44. The lock bolt structure plunger H hasthe longitudinally extending channel 45 out therein into which the camdisc extends and a cam roller 46 is located in this channel and may beheld by a bearing pin 41 suitably secured in the channel 43 in theplunger l1 and intersecting the channel 45.

Figure 3 shows the lock bolt structure in steering locking position, thespring 2| holding the structure outwardly and with the cam rolleragainst the cam abutment 44. If the key is now turned (clockwise) thecam is turned and the engagement of its abutment 44 with the cam rollerwill cause the lock bolt structure to be shifted inwardly to unlockingposition as shown in Figure 4, the extent of such turning movement beingsubstantially 90, at the end of which movement the cam roller will be inengagement with the cylindrical surface of the cam disc and the lockbolt structure will be held in this unlocking position until the lockand cam are turned in reversed direction, the cam roller then enteringthe cam notch and being forced outwardly to locking position by thespring 2| as the cam abutment 44 recedes.

The movable switch member 32 has a diametrally extending lug 49 which isbored to form the pocket 50 for a spring which exerts pressure against aball 6|, the wall surrounding the switch chamber 21 having detentnotches 62, 63 and 64 for receiving the ball, the notches B2 and 63being spaced 90 apart and the notches 63 and 64 spaced substantially 45apart.

On the lug 49 at the end thereof opposite to the detent ball 6| ismounted a switch blade 65 which is secured as by means of a pin 66exafter the steering wheel will be locked against 7 tending therethroughintermediate its ends, the blade being semi-circular and having at itsends contact deflections or beads 61 and 6B which, when the lock boltstructure is in looking position, are in horizontal alignment as shownin Figure 5. On the cover 69 for the switch housing are mounted contactterminals 10 and II for engagement by the contact beads 61 and 68, thesecontact terminals being in a line spaced 135 from the normal line of thecontact beads 67 and 58. When the lock parts are in their normalposition with the locking bolt structure in steering locking position,the spring pressed detent ball 6| is in engagement in the detent notch62 and yieldingly holds the parts in this normal position. In thisnormal position the contact beads 67 and 68 are displaced 135 from theter-- minal contacts 10 and H. When the lock cylinder is turned by itskey the cam disc 36 and the movable switch member 32 will be retated tothe same extent, the cam disc, by its engagement with the cam roller 46,causing the locking bolt structure to be shifted inwardly to itsunlocking position shown in Figure 4, and the movable switchmember willbe rotated to a position in which its contact beads 61 and 68 are in avertical line and still 45 away from the circuit terminals 1i) and H.During the next 45 rotation of the lock cylinder the cam element willhold the lock bolt structure against return to locking position and themovable switch element will be turned to engage its contact beads withthe circuit terminals for closure of the circuit connected with saidterminals, which circuit may be the ignition circuit for the automobileengine, and the steering, and the ignition circuit, are now unlocked foroperation of the vehicle. By turning the lock cylinder the circuit maybe turned on and off without releasing the locking bolt structure forreturn thereof to locking position. After the first rotational movementof the lock, that is through 90, the spring pressed detent ball 6| willengage in the detent notch 63 and will yieldingly hold the parts in thisposition. At the end of the next rotational movement, that is, the 45,the detent ball will engage in the notch 64. Engagement of the detentball in the various notches will increase the resistance to the turningmovement of the cylinder and will also give a clickin sound so that thelock manipulator knows exactly when the ends of the turning movementshave been reached.

The limit to rotary movement of the lock cylinder is defined by a pinand slot connection between the lock cylinder and its enclosing housing28. As shown the housing has the pin 12 engaging in a slot S in the lockcylinder, the total circumferential extent of the slot being When thelocking bolt structure is in locking position, one end of the slot is inengagement with the pin and after rotation of the lock cylinder to causeclosure of the switch, the other end of the slot will be in engagementwith the pin.

I preferably provide means independent of the detent ball SI forautomatically locking the lock cylinder against return movement afterrotation thereof through 90 for shifting the locking bolt structure tounlocking position, but for permitting free rotational movement of thelock cylinder for operation of the switch through its 45 range to closeor open the circuit controlled by the switch. To accomplish this, I makethe slot S in two parts a and b axially offset and with the interveningconnecting section 0, the part 0. extending circumferentially 90 and thepart b extending circumferentially 45, and the part 0 extendingsubstantially in axial direction. Encircling the shaft 35 between thecam disc 36 and the inner end of the lock cylinder 29 is a spring 13exerting outward pressure against the lock cylinder. During the normalcondition of the lock structure, the lock cylinder is in position forengagement of the outer end of the slot section a with the pin 12. Whenthe lock cylinder is now turned 90 for shifting of the lock boltstructure to unlocking position, the intermediate slot section 0 comesinto alignment with the pin 12, as indicated in dotted line in Figure 8,and then the spring I3 will shift the lock cylinder outwardly until theslot section b comes into registration with the pin, as shown by thefull lines, Figure 8. In this position the lock cylinder cannot beturned back on account of the engagement of the inner end wall of theslot section b with the pin. The cylinder Ill, however, may be rotatedthroughout the length of the slot section b, that is 45, for operationof the switch, the switch being closed when the outer end of the slotsection 1; reaches the pin. In order now to return the steering lockbolt structure to locking position the lock cylinder must first beturned back 45 to the position represented by full line in Figure 8, andthen the lock cylinder must be pushed inwardly against the force of thespring 13 until the slot section a. is

brought into alignment with the pin 12 and then the lock cylinder willbe free for return movement through the remaining 90 during whichmovement the steering lock bolt structure will be restored to lookingposition. With the locking arrangement described, the lock cylinder canbe freely turned through its 45 range for opening or closure of theelectrical circuit without danger of overturning and undesirable lockingof the steering. When a vehicle is to be operated the driver turns thelock cylinder 90 to unlock the steering, at the end of which turningmovement the cylinder will be automatically shifted outwardly by thespring 13 for locking of the lock cylinder and locking bolt againstreturn movement. Thereafter the lock cylinder may be rotated through its45 range in either direction for opening or closing of the electricalcircuit.

The various parts in the lock structure are simple and can beeconomically manufactured and assembled, and the lock structure isdurable and efficient in operation.

I have shown a practical and efiicient embodiment of the variousfeatures of my invention but I do not desire to be limited to the exactconstruction, arrangement and operation shown and described as changesand modifications may be made without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lock structure, the combination of a housing having alongitudinally extending bore and a. locking bolt shiftable axiallytherein to looking or unlocking position, said housing having atransverse bore at one side of said longitudinal bore, a lock cylinderrotatable in the front part of said cross bore, a switch having amovable member rotatable in the rear part of said cross bore, aninterconnecting member journalled in said bore for connecting saidcylinder with said movable switch element and having driving connectionwith said locking bolt arranged to control the shifting of said boltwhen said cylinder is turned, means defining axially offset paths ofrotary movement of said lock cylinder, said driving connection beingoperated to control the shifting of said locking bolt during rotation ofsaid lock cylinder through one of said paths and said switch elementbeing operable to circuit closing position during rotation of said lockcylinder through its other path.

2. In a lock structure, the combination of a housing having alongitudinally extending bore and a locking bolt shiftable axially insaid bore to looking or unlocking position, said housing having a crossbore at one side of said longitudinal bore, a lock cylinder rotatable inthe front part of said cross bore, a switch having a movable element inthe rear part of said cross bore, a shaft journalled in said cross boreand having coupling connection at its ends with said lock cylinder andsaid movable switch element, a connection between said shaft and lockingbolt arranged to control the shifting of said locking bolt when saidlock cylinder is turned, a spring pressing outwardly against said lockcylinder, pin and slot connection between said lock cylinder and housingfor determining the extent of rotary movement of said cylinder, the endsections of said slot extending circumferentially and the intermediatesection thereof extending substantially axially relative to saidcylinder whereby to define two axially offset paths of rotation for saidcylinder, said spring shifting said lock cylinder outwardlyindependently of said shaft when said pin and the intermediate part ofsaid slot come into registration, said connection between said shaft andlocking bolt functioning when the rotation of the cylinder is controlledby the inner end of the slot and said movable switch element functioningfor control of the switch when the rotation of said lock cylinder iscontrolled by the outer part of'said slot.

3. In a lock structure, a longitudinally shiftable locking bolt, aswitch comprising a rotary element, a key operable lock cylinder, adriving connection between said lock cylinder and said looking bolt andmovable switch element so arranged that rotation of said lock cylinderthrough only part of its rotational movement will shift the lock bolt tolooking or unlocking position and during another part of its rotativemovement will turn the switch on and off, means shifting said lockcylinder axially after rotation thereof in one direction to shift saidbolt to unlocking position, and means for then looking said cylinderagainst return rotational movement.

4. In a lock structure, a longitudinally shiftable locking bolt, aswitch comprising a rotary element, a key operable lock cylinder, adriving connection between said lock cylinder and said locking bolt andmovable switch element so arranged that rotation of said lock cylinderthrough only part of its rotational movement will shift the lock bolt tolooking or unlocking position and during another part of its rotativemovement will turn the switch on and off, means shifting said lockcylinder axially after rotation thereof in one direction. to shift saidbolt to unlocking position, and means for then looking said cylinderagainst return rotational movement but permitting continued rotarymovement thereof in the first mentioned direction for operation of saidswitch.

5. In a lock structure, a longitudinally shiftable locking bolt, aswitch comprising a rotary element, a key operable lock cylinder,driving connection between said lock cylinder and said locking bolt andswitch so arranged that rotation of said lock cylinder during only theforepart of its rotational movement will shift said lock bolt tounlocking position and during the latter part of its rotational movementwill close the switch, means shifting said cylinder axially outwardlyafter rotational movement thereof to unlock said bolt, and means forthen looking said cylinder against return rotational movement, butpermitting operation of said switch.

6. In a combined steering post and ignition lock, an actuatingstructureaxially movable into either one of two operating fields, alocking member, a control for an ignition circuit, said actuatingstructure when moved into one of said fields being rotatable to causemovement of said looking member to lock or unlock the steering post, andwhen moved into the other field being operable to actuate said circuitcontrol to open or close the circuit without locking of said steeringpost by said member.

7. In an automobile having a device for locking a mechanical partagainst movement and an electrical switch, detention means forpreventing locking movement of said device, actuating means for saidswitch and said detention means rotatable in either of two axiallyoffset paths, means whereby rotation of said actuating means in one ofsaid paths may open or close said switch without release of said deviceby said detention means, and means whereby rotation of said actuatingmeans in the other path will operate said detention means to releasesaid device for locking movement.

8. In an automobile having a device for locking a mechanical partagainst movement and an electrical switch, means for operating saidswitch and locking said device against locking movement comprising a keycontrolled lock cylinder rotatable in either of two axially off-setpaths, means whereby rotation of said cylinder in one of said paths mayopen or close said switch without release of said locking device, andmeans whereby rotation of said cylinder in the other path will releasesaid locking device for locking movement. 20

FREDERICK A. SMITH.

